One Man
by The Bawdy Bardess
Summary: Sydney Carton loved Lucie Manette so much that he gave his life to keep a life she loved beside her. There was a time though, when Sydney Carton had entertained hopes of being that life she loved. How did Sydney feel when he learned that she gave her hear


Disclaimer- I do not own Charles' Dickens' estate, or any of the works that come with it. I simply admire his work, and A Tale of Two Cities is (in my humble opinion) his best. I did take some liberties with the timeline of the book. But my biggest problem is that my characters ended up seeming (at least, to me) one dimensional and unbelievable. Lucie especially, seemed oblivious, and Carton just seemed OOC. But then again, this would be an OOC scene, because to me, this would be a scene in which he shows his more vulnerable side, as opposed to the tough front he puts up for others. That's what Lucie the Golden Thread does to people.

I am my harshest critic, but this story just did not come out the way I wanted it to, and it bugs me to death- that little bit of magic in a story that makes it seem real. I wish I could do it like Dickens, but please put up with me anyway, and review!

DEDICATION: I dedicate this to my friend Chris, who inspired me to write this by my inspiring him to write another TOTC story. You should read his story too! It's titled Rescue, by malukelajf. Very good interpretation of _The Footsteps Die Out Forever._

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_Mr. Carton stood at the front of the church, impeccably dressed. He followed the gaze of the entire congregation to the back of the room, where Lucie was beginning the long march from childhood to womanhood. She was awe-inspiringly beautiful, and Mr. Carton wondered how he had managed to win her over. The lion sat in the pew farthest from where the ceremony would be held, and licked his wounds in lonely silence. Charles Darnay was Mr. Carton's best man, and Mr. Carton took some pride in knowing that he bested Charles in the one area that he cared about. At least Darnay was a gracious loser…_

_They embraced in front of the entire congregation, and Lucie beamed at him. Lucie Carton…the very name was as pleasant and beautiful as the bearer of it…_

_Little Sydney, Alexandra, Charlotte, and little Lucie played in the yard as Mr. Carton and Lucie sat watching them, and admiring the belly that carried the fifth addition to the family…perhaps a young master Jarvis? Or a Phillip perhaps? Sydney had always been partial to his father's name…_

Mr. Carton knocked on the door.

"Sydney?"

Mr. Sydney Carton had heard that word uttered many times, as a child whose playground was no less lavish than the world he lived in, as a youth, when his father found him passed out from too much drink after his mother's funeral, from the lion, when the jackal dozed off over his papers- the papers that somehow kept finding themselves in the lion's paws and as the source of his glory.

But Sydney knew this voice, and the utterance of his name this time rang sweeter than any other circumstance had dreamed of ringing, and it was for this young lady only that he had opened his eyes from the airy slumber in which he had been occupied only a few hours ago. It was this young lady's hand in marriage that Mr. Sydney Carton, Esquire, had worked up the courage to ask.

"Sydney, oh it is you! I had thought it was Charles for a moment- but I was rash. Charles just left! Oh don't look so! I _am_ glad to see you, even if you are not Charles." Miss Lucie Manette embraced him, causing him to shiver from her warmth a bit more conspicuously than he would have preferred.

"I have so much to tell you, but first- how are you faring Sydney? It's been a fortnight since we've last spoken, and so much has happened!" Lucie clapped her hands together joyfully, and had her face been in possession of one wish, it would have wished to grow, so as to contain the smile that was threatening to fly right off of her face.

Sydney tried not to blush. He cared about his physical appearance in the presence of Lucie Manette only, and it seemed Lucie Manette was the only girl who ever found him in a state that was less than desirable. Lucie Manette innocently considered Carton one of her dearest friends, and was perhaps, the only girl who would not care what Carton looked like. Fortunately, today, Sydney had properly groomed and cleaned himself, so he could very much so have passed for his more honorable double.

"I fare well, Lucie, thank you." Sydney ran a hand through his previously smart hair. "Is your father at home?"

"Oh yes, he is inside- but could I beg a moment of your time? I fear I shall burst if I don't tell _someone_! And you especially!"

Without so much as an acquiescence to her request, Lucie brought Sydney over to the bench that was just in front of her home, and sat them down.

When considering the situation that brought the two together that day, it is not difficult to deduce what topic of conversation Sydney suspected that Lucie was so eager to discuss. This was rather unfortunate for him indeed…

"Oh Sydney, what would your opinion be on our getting married?" She waved her hand through the air in several odd jagged movements that usually were used to summon the proper words in a conversation.

For once in his loquacious state of existence, Sydney Carton was at a loss for words or actions. This was for the best, because had he followed the course of action he had so often previously considered for this situation, he would have found himself very uncomfortable. It was very unfortunate indeed for Carton that Lucie chose to word her question the way she did.

"You disapprove?" The disappointed tone of Lucie's voice awoke Sydney from his hypnotized state, and spurred him to action.

"Oh no, I quite approve. In fact-"

Lucie mercifully interrupted Carton by throwing her arms around his neck kissing him on the cheek. Carton was stunned. Who would have suspected the reckless drunkard of being so moved, so utterly possessed by such an innocent act?

"Sydney! Oh Charles will be so happy! I don't suspect he was too terribly worried that you wouldn't approve of my marrying Charles, but it's all the better that you do, isn't it?"

And Lucie, of the golden touch, petrified poor Carton where he sat. And Lucie, who had been touched by Cupid's blinding arrows, did not see the effect that she had left on him.

"Can you imagine it? Lucie Darnay…" Lucie trailed off, gazing rapt at the scene of her future, playing out in the sky. She came back. "No. Lucille Darnay sounds much better, don't you think? So grown up and sophisticated."

"_Darnay_…" was all that Sydney could utter, after finally regaining sovereignty over his lips.

He had been so stupid, so utterly wrapped up in the cloak of his own self-assurances that he had been blind to the possibility that she could have loved another. And he had been so completely wracked with the fear that only love's uncertainties can instill, that he had not allowed himself to see the more likely possibility. He, a half-bit drunk of a lawyer, who had no real name outside London's numerous taverns, vying for her hand against the honorable French instructor Charles Darnay, who attended church regularly and was known by gilded reputation? Did he honestly think he could compete? A thousand self-battering thoughts attacked him at once, and the leader of the mob shouted the war call "_You're worthless!_" until Sydney thought he would go insane.

Sydney fought off the rabble and gained the upper hand, and turned to listen to Lucie's mindless prattle.

"What do you think of him, Sydney? I know you two aren't the dearest of acquaintances, but you must have a good thought for him."

"I think he is a noble man, very decent, very respectable…" Sydney did not add aloud _very boring_, although he certainly thought it a characteristic worthy to be listed to himself. Also not added to the uttered list were _as handsome as I am, _too_ perfect, a waste of a good French instructor, _and _why shouldn't I have a good thought for a rich, noble, kind, caring, dull, bland, and all around completely passion-less man who couldn't become zealous about his own life if it were to save him._

"I am so glad you approve, Sydney, I feared you wouldn't agree to our marriage, but this makes me feel much better indeed."

"It should, it should." Sydney pulled on a grinning mask worthy of any Hellenic thespian, and turned to meet the eyes of the woman who could never be his. He almost melted. Her carefree gaiety had faded, and she looked as though she was about to cry.

"Sydney, you are the first person to know other than my father. We haven't even told Mr. Lorry yet- not even Miss Pross!" Lucie's lip quivered. "But Sydney, I need your help."

Had Lucie asked for the very Crown itself right then, Sydney would have set in progress a Revolution in the name of Lucie Manette-soon-to-be-Darnay-never-to-be-Carton. Sydney set his hands on her shoulders comfortingly, and his touch helped to calm her.

"Sydney- I am frightened- oh Heaven I am frightened!" Sydney could not help but smile, which did not help the situation, although it did not quite hurt it either.

"Pre-nuptial jitters are common. Every bride-to-be has them, some more than others. You should not be frightened." Sydney swallowed hard. "Darnay is a good man."

"No, it is not that." Lucie's voice fell to a hush, and Carton was very glad that the streets were fairly empty, because otherwise he would not have heard a word. "I am afraid that I will never see you again. I will be a married lady, and maybe you will not have time to come see me anymore. Or maybe, you and Charles will quarrel, and that will keep you away."

The thought crossed Sydney's mind _I can't imagine a reason why dear Charles and I would _quarrel. one look, however into Lucie's eyes, and Carton's heart broke, and the coroner pronounced it dead with a hearty laugh. "Lucie, I will come and visit every day that I can. And your husband and I can play cards, and quarrel until our raised voices force you to come down and stop us before we wake your children, and then once you've left the room, we shall get louder. And you and I shall take long walks, like we do now, and talk about everything that there is to talk about. You shall not have to worry about losing me. You've never had to worry."

Lucie embraced him one last time. "Sydney Carton, you are a good man. You will make a fine husband someday- I cannot wait to sit and watch _your_ wedding." She paused. "Oh Sydney, I am so sorry! I am keeping you from your business here? Wasn't there something you needed to ask Father?"

Carton dammed the ocean by sheer willpower and shook his head. "No. I only came by to see you. And see you I have." He looked at his watch, and proclaimed that the time had flown by, and that he really must be going.

And as Lucie bade him farewell, and walked back inside the house, there remained one man on the streets of Soho.

One man who was not at all afraid to cry.


End file.
